Not A Frumpy Mum

Is Your Home Winter Ready?

Is Your Home Winter Ready?

With summer rapidly disappearing, thoughts turn to the colder months ahead, and to ensuring our homes are ready for whatever winter decides to throw at us this year.  We usually all start with the same steps.  Tidying away the patio furniture and barbecue, having a last weed of the beds and getting ready for the leaves that will start falling from the trees over the coming weeks all spring to mind. This year we will also be thinking about the heating system.  Last year our heater decided to pack up the week before Christmas and we had three days with…

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How to Make the Right Choice when Buying a New Shower

How to Make the Right Choice when Buying a New Shower

Buying a new shower is probably a bigger deal than you realise, it is used on a daily basis and is one of the items in your house you take for granted, I know I do!  If you are looking to update your shower here are a few points to consider. Buy from the right type of retailer These days you automatically get a warranty when you buy something. However, that is only of value if the shop you bought it from is still in business years down the line. If they have closed down, there is no way you…

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Frugal Furniture Ideas To Revamp Your Home

Frugal Furniture Ideas To Revamp Your Home

  Decorating a home on a budget is tricky, especially when you need to buy big items, like furniture. When we moved into our dream home 8 years ago it took almost every penny we had (planning a wedding at the same time didn’t help the finances) and there wasn’t much left for new furniture.  We had to work with what we already owned or look at alternative ways to keep the cost of furnishing our home really low.  Here’s a few frugal furniture ideas to help keep costs down: Buy used items Buying second-hand items is an especially good approach.…

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The Forever Home – The Kitchen Extension Ideas

The Forever Home – The Kitchen Extension Ideas

Since receiving our planning approval for our new extension a couple of weeks ago my husband and I have been spending a lot of time on Pinterest looking for ideas for our new space.  We are both huge fans of the open living/kitchen/dining space and this is a look we are wanting to create.  With two little boys who will undoubtably be spending a lot of time in the garden as they grow older we really want to make this back room the heart of our home. We live in a cottage which was originally built in the 1850’s.  Twenty…

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The Forever Home – Next Steps

The Forever Home – Next Steps

It’s been quite a while since I’ve written a home post, and there is actually a really good reason.  Behind the scenes there have been some very exciting plans taking place which, if everything goes smoothly, will mean some very big changes to our forever home. I have mentioned before that we fell in love with the house almost immediately.  It was one of those feelings that is quite hard to  describe but the house just felt like home.  It was far from perfect but we loved it’s quirky features and traditional cottage style.  As the house had been empty for…

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